Method of making a spreader



Jan. 15, 1935. ELPHINSTQNE 1,988,115

METHOD OF MAKING A SPREADER Filed Dec. 5, 1932 '14TTORAUEY q I J WM W- Patented Jan. 15, 71935 I v t METHOD OF'MAKING A SPREADER Lewis. M; .Elphinstone, Baltimore, Md. I

Application December 5, 1932, Serial No. 645,666

, "4 Claims. (01. 29-1483) The object of =m-y invention is an improved otforwardedgie suppor'tmg chain 5 which chain method of making aspi eader, light and simple is provided with hook h for attachment to the iorveh'iclesbody and turnbuckle 7 which is attached to the A further obiectof my invention is an forward edge of spreader 4 by means of U-bolt proved means or method for constructing a 8 secured to-the eye of the turnbuckle 7-. -9 5 spreader in what I term unit construction. is a brace secured to the truck body and to the A further object of my inventionxistheconforward edge of the spreader. 10 is an adjuststruction of units adaptable for assembling in ing chain supporting the rear end of the a. spreader. I 7 spreader, and is attached to the spreader by U-.

10 "With the foregoing-and other obiects in view, bolt .11 similar to when 8, and is adjustable by 10 my invention consists of the novel *constmction, meansof hook 12, as shown in Fig. 1. The sides combination and arrangement 'of-paits as hereof the spreader are secured to the opposite sides inafter specifically described and illustra t'ed in of the truck'hody-as above described, the oppothe accompanying drawing, wherein is shown site attachments being similarly "numbered.

1 5 the preferred embodiment of myinvent'ion, but spreader is provided withcross-wi'se supit understood that changes, variations and porting members 13 and14fl have found that modifications may be resorted to which come angle or'T irons are suitable forthis purpose. within the scope of the claims hereunto 15 are rectangular chute-sections made integral appended. 5 :each other for the entire spreader, which '80 In the sprea 'ng of materials it necessary I hEWe found-to be very satisfactory-where mathat an even distribution of material shall terial and appliances are available, but which, be ;made oi/er the surface I to be spread. To if desired, may-be constructed in a plural .numaccomplish that it is necessary that the oonber ina single unit, and these units secured tostruction of the spreader chute'be such that 'gether as shown Fig. 4 at 16. In the draw- 28 there'is'nothing thereon to cause a broken dising Fig. 2, I have shown two such units joined *tribution, or ayarying -of the evenness of the tcgether iu the-center at each'unitcon taining "flow df the material. I avoid all projections, "or the necessary number of chutes integrally conroughness in the construction of the various structedto term the :aggregate width of the chutes, and so design the'cross-section of the spreaderdesiied.

30 chutes as toprovidethe properdelivery to the the construction of these units, starting 80 finishing'flow. a. plain sheet of metal, what is known as a m the drawing oi the herein described brake forms these units as shown in Fig. 3, said embodiment of my invention: Fig. 1 is a units containing plurality of chutes being "plan view "oi my spreader attached to the formed tapered, each chute being tapered to the 36 rear of a truckbodyp'Fig. 2 is a iragmenfront end as shown in Fig. '2, the desired degree tary end view infielevitionf of one side of of toper beingregulated by the requirements of the spreader; 8' is a view taken the truck body and'the width of the spreader 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing particularly how various desired. These chutes, or unitof chutes, are-atsectionsof units of chutes" are assembled; Fig. tached to supporting members 13 and 14 by 40 '4 is a v'iewtakenthroug-h 5-5 of 2, showing some means that will'not -inter fere :with the in- 40 particularly how the chutes are secured to the terior surface of the chutes. I have found that assembled angle iron, as shown, it is spot spot welding on the under -si'de of the chute to welded thereto, thus forming a construction these members as shown at 17 is very satisfactory. of the spreader units. I have alsoiound that any :good sheet metal Similar numerals refer to "similar parts suflidently'hard to withstand wear, preferably of 45 throughout thesevera'l views. I a, noncormsive character, is suitable for the 1'is a truck body containing the supply of forming of chutesmaterial to be fed. 2 "is the tail-gate-ol? the In -6 a modified shape of the chutes is truck body pivotally mounted at its top edge shown as 18. These chutcsshown have substanat 3. 5 tail-gate may be openedto any'detia'l'lye. :circulair bottom with straight sides and 50 sired degree and 'held in position by its locking are formed of individual units with a locking dechains, not shown, the same being of the omi'ivice .19 on one edge, the same locking over the nary type of construction, and concerning which plane edge 20 of the other edge of the adjacent I claim nothing. 4 is die assembled spreader chute. "Iihese chutes may be made in unit or which is attached to the truck body l-by means integral oonstmotiomns described for chutes 1-5., 655

either as a whole or in several sections for assembly in the spreader. Likewise, the chutes 15 may be made with similar attachments 19 looking over edge 20 where individual chute construction is desired, especially convenient for assembly purposes.

In the construction of the individual chutes or aggregation of sections of chutes, spot welding is resorted to where found to be desirable for structural purposes, such as maintaining position, for rigidity, etc. This applies to the edges 20, 20 19 and 19 and also the attachment of supporting members 13 and 14 to the various chutes. 7

Referring now to the replacement or repair elements shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10,'it has been found that the bottom of the chute, after being in use with hard material, becomes so worn that a new surface is required-w- Thisis supplied'by repair member 21 formed to fit intothe chute either of rectangular or circular sections, and is looked over the edges-of the old chute by locking member 22, which memberv 22. may consist of clips at spaced positions along theedge, or the entire edge. In certain classes of work it is desirable to fasten these repair members more securely, and for this purposeI have shown securing stud 23 at the upper or forward end of the chute and secured thereto. to enter through opening 24 in the repair member and slip down intoa narrowed section thereof, thus locking the end of the repair member around stud 23. At the lower. or after end of, the repair member secured to the chute ,is turn-back member 25 which embraces the lower end of the chute and is sufficiently long .to accommodate the, slipof stud 23in opening 24, thus securing the lower end of the repair member to the lower end of the chute. This is shown in Fig. 10.- v

At times it is desirable to preventjthe-flo of material through certain sections of .the spreader, or a number of the chutes, and for that purpose I have shown in Figs. 11,.12 and 13 a blanking gate 26 which registers with the cross-section of the chutes that it blanks. As shown in Fig; 13 it is constructed for blanking a rectangular chute section such-'as,shown in Fig. 3,,it fitting over the sides of thechute and being secured in the spreader in position by means of rod 2'7 going through holes 28 in the chutes and holes 29 in the blanking gate. This may be adjusted by means of thevarious holes 28 in the chute (see Figs. 11 and 12).

I have not shownthe ordinary side plates used ina truck to prevent 'a leakage of material between the sides of the truck body and tail-gate, which ordinarily are plain metal plates slipped back to the tail-gate. Some truck tail-gates have triangularplates secured to ,the tail-gate and operating within the side bodies to prevent the fiow of vmaterial between the side body and tail-gate sidewise; I have not shown this, as I claim nothing concerning the same.

In some ,casesI have found it desirable to supplement or replace braces9 by braces at the center, or disposed along the forward edge, of my spreader, for attaching to the under-body of the truck, as conveniencemay dictate. To accomplish this I provide U-bolt 30 in supporting member 14; I show onlyone, and that is at the center, others may be provided. A brace 31 may be attached to this U-bolt, the other end of the brace being conveniently secured to the truck. These additional braces are occasionally found to be desirable where heavy material is being spread and a lightspreader is used, .the spreaders being made of different gauge material of varying strength and weight as may be necessary to meet different kinds of work.

The operation of my invention is as follows:

My spreader is adapted for using almost any kind of material to be spread, hot, cold, wet or dry, fine or coarse. As an example, I will describe the spreading of pulverized cinders, more or less wet, used on an icy road, as that is rather an unusual condition and is being availed of at this'time.

The cinders, after being properly prepared and wet down, loaded from open bins and exposed to the weather, are contained in the body 1. The truck is tilted into position suitable for emptying by gravity. My spreader is adjusted to an angle with the floor of the truck to insure discharge of the material therefrom. This is usually parallel with the floor of the truck, but

' should sticking of the material be encountered the spreader is slightly lowered at its after end.

The average width of the roads being constructed at this time is 18 feet. I have found that a spreader 8 feet wide at its after end will spread evenly a surface 9 feet wide; that is, one-half of the width of the road to be covered. In the construction of wider or narrower roads not being a multiple of 9, a blanking of the spreader by means of spreading gate 20 will reduce the width of the spreader by blanking off a number of the chutes to a point where the same is a multiple of the width of the road being spread.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The process of forming a spreader provided with a plurality of chutes consisting of forming individual ,chutes by forming from a flat plate of metal double side walls by first making a bend in the metal to form a side wall, and at a proper distance to form the height of the side walls doubling the metal back upon itself for a further distance to form a side wall, then bending the metal to form the bottom of the chute, then bending the metal to form a second side wall at an angle from the bending of the metal to form the bottom above mentioned whereby a converging bottom with adjacent side walls is formed and, at a proper distance to form the height of the side wall, doubling the metal back upon itself, the metal being spaced in its doubling back parallel the substantial thickness of said metal to permit an adjacent side wall to be; introduced, the doubling back to form a securing element for an adjacent side wall and means for securing a plurality of said chutes so formed together into a rigid structure.

2. The method of constructing spreader chutes and of securing a plurality thereof together consisting of, forming from a flat plate of metal substantially double side walls by first making a bend in the metal to form a side wall and at a proper distance to form the height of the side wall doubling the metal back upon itself for a further distance to form a side wall, then bending the metal to form the bottom of the chute,,then bending the metal to form a second side wall at an angle from the bending of the metal to form the bottom above mentioned whereby a converging bottom with adjacent side walls is formed, then welding the two side walls adjacent together at their bases on the exterior of the chute surface at the juncture thereat to secure the same and prevent spreading of the side.walls.,-, 1:

3. The method of constructing spreader chutes and of securing a plurality thereof together consisting of, forming from a flat plate of metal substantially double side walls by first making a bend in the metal to form a side wall, and at a proper distance to form the height of the side wall doubling the metal back upon itself for a further distance to form a side wall, then bending the metal to form the bottom of the chute, then at an angle with said bend, bend said metal up to form a side wall of a chute having converging sides, then at a distance sufficient to form the side wall again bend the metal back upon itself and proceed for the number of side walls desired, then welding the side walls together at their bases to secure the same and prevent spreading of the side walls by means of a cross-bar to which they are secured.

4. The method of constructing spreader chutes and of securing a plurality thereof together consisting of, forming from a flat plate of metal substantially double side walls by first making a bend in the metal to form a side wall, and at a proper distance to form the height of the side wall doubling the metal back upon itself for a further distance to form a side wall, then bending the metal to form the bottom of the chute, then at an angle with said previous bend, bending said metal up to form a side wall of a chute having converging sides, then at a distance suflicient to form the side wall further again bending the metal back upon itself and proceed for the number of side walls desired thensecur- 15 ing the double side walls together.

LEWIS M. ELPHINSTONE. 

